11 nights, Barcelona to Lisbon
Explora's name for it: A Journey of Atlantic Light & Volcanic Shores
Eleven nights, eight ports, and a clear southward arc: Barcelona down through the Strait, across to the Atlantic, then out to the Canaries and Madeira before turning back to Lisbon. The pace is busy but not punishing, with real spacing between the dense city days and the island days. Barcelona gives you Gaudí, a Roman and medieval core, and the Gothic Quarter all from one walkable center. Ceuta is the genuine oddity, a Spanish town of tapas bars and fortifications sitting on the African continent, with a maritime park that is one of César Manrique's last works. In Casablanca the day rests almost entirely on the Hassan II Mosque, its minaret rising over the ocean. Then the volcanic run: Lanzarote's lava fields at Timanfaya, La Gomera's well where Columbus took on water before 1492, and Funchal's cable car up to Monte with a wicker toboggan back down a public street.
This rewards travelers who want range over a single theme: medieval cities, North African ports, and Atlantic-volcanic islands in one line. Skip it if you want a tight Mediterranean loop or beach days; Tenerife's beaches are gray volcanic sand, and several ports trade a working-city center for one signature sight. A few piers sit well out, so a shuttle or taxi can eat part of a morning. If you read islands and history as the draw, the sequence holds together.
EXPLORA II is all-suite and all-oceanfront.
The itinerary, port by port
8 calls over 11 nights, Barcelona to Lisbon. Open any port for my full day-ashore guide, what to see, when to go, and how the day actually runs.
Getting there: Flights to Barcelona (BCN) are already bookable for these dates. I watch the fare for booked clients so you book at the right moment. When to book your flights →
- Embark
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- Disembark
Fares on this departure, decoded
Reading the fare fine print is the job. Here's what this sailing currently carries:
- Invitation to Discover More
- Explora's discovery fare, available across most of the calendar. Onboard credit where the offer applies.
- Spontaneous Summer Invitation
- A near-term fare on a small set of summer-season sailings. Onboard credit where the offer applies.
- Air-Inclusive Fare
- A fare that folds airfare into the voyage price on a smaller set of sailings.
The ship and your suite
This sailing is aboard EXPLORA II, all-suite, every suite with a private ocean-front terrace. Suites run from the entry Ocean Terrace to the Owner's Residence; the right tier depends on how you travel. Compare suites → · What's included →